The Power of Your Stories — Episode 180
Open Space Radio
Park and Recreation Month is one of our favorite times of year here at NRPA, and as we celebrate, we wanted to give one of our favorite episodes another spin. This episode originally aired as , and it captures exactly what this month is all about: a collection of powerful stories showing how parks and recreation strengthens communities and changes lives. We're revisiting our conversations with: Shannon Barrett, CPRP, recreation coordinator for City of Kerman (California) Parks, Recreation and Community Services, and participants from the Walk With Ease program, who share how a simple walking...
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The Power of Leading With Empathy — Episode 179
Open Space Radio
On this episode of Open Space Radio, we explore what it means to lead with empathy and why people-centered leadership can have a lasting impact on our teams and our communities as a whole. Joining us for the conversation is Shannon Harris, CPRE, CPO, executive director of the Carson Valley Swim Center and past president of the Nevada Recreation& Parks Society. Throughout her career, Shannon has built a reputation as a thoughtful, compassionate leader. Someone who shows up, listens, builds trust, and creates opportunities for others to grow and thrive. After spending some time with her at...
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The Power of CAPRA Accreditation — Episode 178
Open Space Radio
CAPRA accreditation sets the national standard for excellence in parks and recreation and agencies that go through the process are really committing to operating at the highest level across everything they do. From strengthening day-to-day operations to helping agencies plan for the future, plays an important role in delivering the best possible services to our communities. On the latest episode of Open Space Radio, we explore how CAPRA accreditation is shaping park and recreation agencies, leadership and communities across the country. We also dive into how the newly reimagined 2027 CAPRA...
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The Power of Understanding the World Around Us — Episode 177
Open Space Radio
Each Earth Month, we’re reminded of the important role parks and recreation plays in building more resilient communities and connecting people to nature. A key piece of helping that connection grow is through curiosity, learning and a deeper awareness of the world around us. On this episode of Open Space Radio, we’re joined by Erica Flocke, parks and recreation director for the City of Wimberley, Texas, to talk about how the Texas Master Naturalist program has shaped the way she sees her work and her community. After reading , we wanted to dig deeper and explore how learning about our...
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The Power of Your Stories: Inside the Park and Recreation Month Cover Contest — Episode 176
Open Space Radio
Each year, NRPA hosts its Park and Recreation Month Cover Contest. But before one story makes the cover of the July issue of Parks & Recreation magazine, countless submissions remind us just how powerful this work truly is. With submissions now open for this year’s , this episode of Open Space Radio looks back at a few stories from last year that stayed with us. From older adults building connections through a simple walking program to children strengthening literacy skills by reading to horses, these stories capture what parks and recreation does best: create spaces where people connect...
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The Power of Getting Girls in the Game — Episode 175
Open Space Radio
What does it take to increase the number of girls participating in sports? On this episode of Open Space Radio, we explore the obstacles, the breakthroughs, and how park and recreation professionals are at the center of it all. We know sports offer lifelong physical and mental health benefits, helping girls build strength, confidence and connections. But when it comes to getting more girls and women involved in sports, participation alone isn’t the goal. The real work is creating environments where girls feel like they belong, and feel supported, safe and excited to stay in the game as they...
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The Power of Mentorship in Macon-Bibb County, Georgia — Episode 174
Open Space Radio
January is National Mentoring Month — a time to celebrate the transformative power of mentorship and spotlight the essential role park and recreation professionals play in fostering youth development in communities across the country. On our first episode of 2026, we chat with JaCory Bazell, CPRP, CYSA, CPO, the center supervisor at Bloomfield-Gilead Recreation Center in Macon-Bibb County, Georgia, to explore how mentoring takes shape in his community. Through the Macon-Bibb County Recreation Department, JaCory leads two youth mentoring programs: a teen media program focused on topics...
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Honoring Native American Heritage Month — Episode 173
Open Space Radio
November is Native American Heritage Month — a time to honor and celebrate Native people in the United States. On this episode, we are resharing a conversation from 2021 with Stephanie Lozano, a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation tribe and a tribal liaison for the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families, and Sara Sinclair, an oral historian of Cree-Ojibwa and German-Jewish ancestry, Columbia University professor and editor of How We Go Home: Voices from Indigenous North America. While this episode originally aired in 2021, there are still so many relevant pieces, from activating...
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An Open Space Radio Halloween: Spine-Chilling Tales from Parks and Recreation — Episode 172
Open Space Radio
Halloween is here, and Open Space Radio is celebrating with one of our most hauntingly fun episodes yet. In this special episode, we sit around the virtual campfire to share a few eerie tales from park and recreation professionals. From ghostly encounters in historic parks to strange happenings at community events, this episode is packed with stories that remind us how our parks come alive (and sometimes come back to life) after dark. Halloween Celebrations Across the Country Before diving into the stories, we highlight some of the incredible ways communities are celebrating Halloween this...
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The Insider’s Guide to the 2025 NRPA Annual Conference — Episode 171
Open Space Radio
On this very special episode of Open Space Radio, we discuss all things ! It’s hard to believe we’ll be in Orlando with thousands of our friends, colleagues and peers in just a few days. If you’ll be in Orlando, please come say hello to the Open Space team in the exhibit hall. We’ll be posted up in the Open Space Lounge, which is booth #1272, right next to the NRPA Member Area. Come hang out for a few, grab some swag and even get on the mic! On today’s episode, we have some very special guests who play a big role behind-the-scenes to make the NRPA Annual Conference come to life....
info_outlineThis Pride Month, we are proud to spotlight the powerful work happening in Maryland to build more inclusive and welcoming park and recreation spaces for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.
Way back in September 2024, Christina attended the second annual Maryland Recreation and Parks Association (MRPA) 2SLGBTQIA+ Summit at the North Laurel Community Center. As the only known state-level summit of its kind in the field of parks and recreation, this gathering is a testament to the intentional and sustained effort to center representation and inclusion across the profession, and we’ve been eager to share the voices and stories that came out of the summit!
The summit first began in 2023, sparked by a recognized need within Maryland’s park and recreation departments to better support and engage the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. As Noah Callahan from Anne Arundel County Recreation and Parks explained, it all started with a gap that was quickly filled by forming a committee, engaging with community members, and building momentum for a first-of-its-kind statewide event.
That first summit left a lasting impression, especially on attendees like Jaimie Wilder from Howard County Recreation & Parks. The welcoming atmosphere, thoughtful programming, and sense of solidarity stayed with them long after the event ended. So, when the second summit came around, it was clear this was becoming something special. It wasn’t just a one-off, but a catalyst for real change.
The 2024 summit expanded on the foundation built the year prior. With both 101 and 201 breakout session tracks, attendees were able to engage with a variety of topics including allyship, inclusive policy, indigenous inclusion, programming strategies and historical context. As Ashlyn Thompson, inclusion and community outreach specialist for Montgomery Parks, shared, the summit was intentionally planned to meet people where they are — whether just starting their inclusion journey or deepening their understanding.
Kindness, joy and a strong willingness to learn was felt throughout the summit. That spirit, combined with deeply personal storytelling and education, created a space that was not only informative but transformative.
Tune in to the full episode to learn more about this special event and how it’s impacting the culture throughout parks and recreation in Maryland. You’ll also learn:
- How the MRPA 2SLGBTQIA+ Summit is a model of how to build welcoming spaces through education and collaboration
- How connecting with speakers and organizations already doing work in your community — such as at Pride events — can make your inclusion efforts more authentic and impactful
- How this event led to new programs like “Robinson Rainbows” and influenced internal policies and workplace culture in meaningful ways
- How you can get started or deepen your organization’s journey as it relates to this work
- And much more!
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